Ivy arrives, carrying flowers and a bottle of pretty good wine.
L and Jason stare down the stairwell as she climbs. L looks happy to see her, if fraught: “I don’t know—flowers—vase? Hugh’s gone.”
They’re lilies, which the internet said was right for a thirtieth anniversary. A little funerary. Quarter after five. The kitchen is a shambles.
Jason takes the bunch and says, “I’ll stick them in the bathroom sink till Hugh gets back.” He looks unscarred, even after that long, bad day. No stakes for him; he doesn’t want to act. She hopes he doesn’t. He was fine, etc., but the clothes he designs are perfect. He gives Ivy a half-grin and says, “Hugh has to be back in a few minutes, or we’re hooped.”
First, the important thing. Ivy asks, fearing the answer, “Have you seen Orion?”
“In the guest room,” L says. “Jason made him lie down with the ice pack. My dad was here but he went to change and find my mom. Hugh said he had to see a man about a dog.”
All right then. “Did Orion tell you?” From their faces she can see they know. “So that will be what Hugh’s gone to fix.” Ivy gives them encouraging nods. “You do the dishes, and I’ll get myself ready so I can help.”
She dashes off to Hugh’s bedroom. Ten minutes’ fast work and she’s back, clean, coiffed, wearing her best linen dress and a cobweb-fine crimson alpaca sweater. Looking like everybody’s maiden-aunt drama teacher, but never mind, the crazy beautiful (crazy expensive) Cydwoq heels covered with roses give her verve.
She raises her hands at the now-sparkling kitchen. “Wow! Perfect! Still no Hugh? Okay, don’t worry—okay, I’m good at setting table, if that’s any use to you?”
L nods. “Sorry, I was panicking. There are leaves for the table and extra chairs in the basement. He only has one kind of dishes, so we know which to use.”
Restaurant white, lots of them; heavy linen napkins in a drawer; good wineglasses, good silverware—that makes sense. Holding the knives, the weighted forks, is like holding Hugh’s hand. Dinner is such a ritual of communion. Ivy feels a spring of startling desire for Hugh, his body and mind. Beloved!